CAF Champions League
PLATEAU UNITED HAVE A HUGE MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB IN CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TIE

BY KUNLE SOLAJA
On account of their high altitude domain, Plateau United may have been used to mountain climbing, but this weekend, they have a huge one to climb as they engage Simba Lions of Tanzania in the return leg of the opening round of the CAF Champions League.
Plateau United carry a deficit 1-0 from Jos. If they fail to advance, they become the first Nigerian clubside to lose to Simba Lions.
Encounters of Nigerian clubs with Simba Lions have been very rare as there have been just two teams that faced the Tanzanian side in the 56 years of the African inter-clubs competition.
The two teams, though now defunct, are Water Corporation of Ibadan and Raccah Rovers of Kano. The latter beat Simba Lions 2-0 in Lagos in 1979 and played goalless in a tragedy-laden return match with Simba in Dar es Salaam as a Simba player, Hussein Tindawa collapsed on the pitch and died.
Water Corporation on the other hand played goalless with Simba in Lagos in the then 1977 African Cup of Champions’ Clubs but won 1-0 in the return leg in Dar es Salaam to advance to the next round.
The feat of Water Corporation 43 years ago is what is expected that Plateau United will replicate.
But it may not be an easy task as even the winners of the first leg, Simba have been advised against complacency.
Tanzania Daily News has put an advisory to Simba Lions. It warned the club not to think that the job was already done with their 1-0 away win in Jos.
“The Nigerian champions have come to Tanzania like wounded bull, hence Simba should take the encounter very seriously and treat it the way they treated their first leg match”, the paper wrote.
It further warned that this weekend match with Plateau United should not be taken as a downhill task.
CAF Confederation Cup
Africa’s Elite Clubs Await Fate as CAF Stages Quarter-final Draws

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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CAF Champions League
How RS Berkane Cruised Past Rivers United to Seal Knockout Berth

Moroccan side RS Berkane delivered a commanding 3–0 victory over Rivers United FC to book their place in the knockout stages of the competition.
Berkane imposed themselves early and broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Youssef Mehri fired into the bottom corner following a swift attacking move.
The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes later as Paul Valère Bassène finished clinically after being played through by Mounir Chouiar, leaving Rivers United with a mountain to climb before halftime.
The contest was effectively settled eight minutes into the second half. Bassène grabbed his second of the night in the 53rd minute, converting from close range after a corner to put the result beyond doubt.
Berkane maintained control for the remainder of the match, limiting Rivers United to speculative efforts and half-chances before comfortably seeing out the encounter.
With the results, Pyramids FC finish top of Group A, while RS Berkane join them in the knockout phase as runners-up, bringing the group stage to a decisive conclusion.
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CAF Champions League
Pyramids Finish Top of Group A with Convincing Win Over Power Dynamos

Reigning CAF Champions League holders Pyramids FC signed off their group-stage campaign in style with a 3–1 victory over Power Dynamos FC on Matchday 6 to secure top spot in Group A.
The Egyptian side made a bright start and went ahead in the 16th minute when Mostafa Ziko rose highest to head home from a corner, underlining their early dominance.
Power Dynamos responded almost immediately. Frederick Mulambia restored parity a minute later, finishing from close range after a well-worked cross to briefly unsettle the hosts.
However, Pyramids regained control midway through the first half. In the 33rd minute, Youssef Obama reacted quickest inside the penalty area to restore the lead, sending the defending champions into the break 2–1 ahead.
The decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Ewerton unleashed a superb right-footed strike from outside the box that nestled into the bottom corner, extending the advantage to 3–1.
Despite late substitutions and sporadic pressure from the visitors, Pyramids managed proceedings comfortably to claim all three points and finish the group stage at the summit.
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